Wednesday, 24 October 2018

Stepping Out Challenge - Day 24 - Creating in Faith Pt 2





Welcome to today's post, I will be sharing part 2 with the Creating in Faith Series.



Listen to the Podcast



Thank you for coming back to today's Podcast. Yesterday I shared about how the ‘Creating in Faith’ prayer month started and was initially hosted by Artist Mika Diaz. I had really enjoyed taking part, and we connected as artists and friends which was great. Mika has a very clear and informative style of teaching, and is very giving, a lot went into all the courses that she runs online.  I also many years later was blessed to meet Mika and her beautiful family in Virginia.

When we completed the month on Creating in Faith I was asked by Mika if I wanted to continue and lead the sessions myself. It was something that I never thought of doing and I was very unsure that I had a strong enough voice to do it.  But there was a part of me that wanted to stretch myself and take the challenge.  Whilst I had a very different voice, I felt equally I had something that I could share, I couldn’t say no, as I am all about taking myself out of my comfort zones so I said yes!


It became almost like a meditative practice for me, I would take an encouraging word and scripture and see what it meant for me and what insights I would be able to bring, and also do a creative project. In the beginning I found it quite a challenge, whilst it was new to me I had to remember also that there are many who would participate silently so you weren’t going to get much feedback from some.


 There were times where I wondered if I really had anything more to share but I kept going. But gradually realised as I widened it and shared it on my blog and received encouraging comments from artists around the world that it was blessing others as well. You also have to develop a thick skin for the times when no one comments, it is alright because you showed up and that is all that matters.



The way I continued Creating in Faith was to develop a creative project along side. I created Bookmark pocket holders that you could put your prayers and thoughts in and at the end of a period you could bind it together as a journal, but you could also look back over the year to see which prayers had been answered.



I continued to lead the project for over a year and a half and it is great to look back and see the progress that I have made, the confidence in my writing, and being consistent in sharing and showing up, and best of all the creative bookmark pockets that I had created. I remembered how insecure I had felt in the beginning, but these feelings are all part of the experience and I am preparing for a season when I will be able to bring together all the things that I have been learning over time which is making me into the artist I have become and yet to become..


When you put your mind to it you can achieve some amazing things. Some things you create for a different reason, and the Creating in Faith was one of them as I read back some of the posts I am surprized how some of the reflections then have helped me even now, but I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t been asked and accepted the challenge.



So what are you going to do with the time you have left? What projects have you been asked to do that you need to step up and say yes to.



What are the steps you are willing to take, will you show up for you and step out of the comfort zone, shake things up and really surprise yourself at how much you have within you. It all starts with a step, then another and before you know it you are further than you thought possible.



Tomorrow I will share the Gratitude Series.  I hope during this month you find some time to challenge, be creative and stretch yourself.

    Why not join me each day for the rest of October as we dive into to some exciting challenges and look at ways in which they can impact on your own life. 



    I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, it is never too late to start! The main thing is to take one step at a time and do something that you find interesting.



    Stay blessed and be a blessing.
    Ps:  If you are on a budget and would like to check out some  supplies/books at a discounted price, check out one of the links below:
    Posted by Amanda Trought at 17:24
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